Cautions

Do not take in excessive doses, even for short periods, as it is highly toxic to the liver.

Do not apply to broken skin.

Ragwort is highly toxic to cattle and sheep and is normally avoided by grazing animals.

Description

The Senecio genus is one of the largest among the flowering
plants and accounts for more than 1,500 species. The plant is native to
much of Asia, Europe, North Africa, and naturalized in North America and
Australia. It is a biennial or perennial herb, growing to about three
feet with lobed compound leaves and dense clusters of bright yellow
daisy-type flowers. It thrives in open grassland, meadows, wastelands,
and along roadsides and beaches. It flowers most of the year and
considered to be a noxious weed in many parts of the world.

History

Its use today is not popular despite having an impressive historical
background in herbal medicine. It was often prescribed to help lower
fever by inducing sweating.

The Greek physician Dioscorides
(c.40-90 CE) recommended the herb, as did two other "fathers" of
herbalism, Gerard and Culpeper. Modern herbalists recommend it as a
remedy for biliousness. It is also a soothing refrigerant for teething
babies, a practice which dates back to the Middle Ages.

As the alkaloids are known to inhibit
cell division, some researchers are hopeful that it may one day be
possible to isolate the active principles and use them to slow down or
arrest growth of malignant tumors.

Traditional Uses

Although no longer taken internally, the herb is still useful as a
poultice, ointment, or lotion applied to relieve pain and inflammation,
including that of rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis and such neuralgic
conditions as sciatica.

Dusty Miller is a related species native to the Caribbean and used as a treatment for cataracts.

Liferoot, another
relative native to North America, was used by the Catawaba people to
treat gynecological problems in general and to relieve labor pains in
particular. Today, the plant is recommended only for external use as a
douche for excessive vaginal discharge.